This just got added to my April agenda for Richmond. I gather from you comment that it has searchable records? Thanks Doug On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 9:22 AM, Alyson L. Taylor-White < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi Doug - The Valentine Richmond History Center is the museum of the life > and culture of the city of Richmond, and the second oldest museum in the > city. > The genesis of the museum began at the end of the 19th century with a gift > by Mann Valentine II of the Wickham House (where Dr. McClurg lived the last > years of his life - his daughter Elizabeth married attorney John Wickham, > defender of Aaron Burr), Valentine's extensive collections, and $50,000. It > is at 1015 East Clay Street and is a fabulous place to learn everything you > always wanted to know about Richmond (and, in a lot of respects Virginia > too), but didn't know where to look. > Give a shout out next time you are in town and check out the museum; it is > a great resource, with fabulous archives and collections. > A tour of the Wickham House alone is worth the trip - a neoclassical > delight, it contains exquisite interior wall paintings that make it quite > unique in America. > It was designed by housewright Alexander Parris, who went on the next year > (1813) to design the Virginia Executive Mansion, the oldest continually > lived in governor's house in the nation. > Alyson > > > On Dec 16, 2009, at 6:11 PM, James Burnett wrote: > > Good Evening Ed >> Thanks so much for your response. Yes they did maintain contact with >> family >> in Richmond. Dr McClurg was the young McCaw's uncle and helped fund his >> medical school expense at University of Edinburgh. Since most of the >> information I have found so far is in someway connected with the >> recognition >> of the medical services provided by the family and their descendants I >> don't >> have any indication on the mother's side. >> I am ashamed to ask this but...What is the Valentine Richmond History >> Center? We are in Richmond about 4 times a year--family in Madison >> Heights >> and Pamplin and do research at LVA, Va Histo Soc, Baptist Archives at Univ >> of Richmond, W&M, and Rockerfeller Lib at Colonial Williamsburg >> Foundation. >> Our most recent visit there was on the 8-10 Dec. >> >> In case you haven't tied this together this McCaw is an ancestor of John >> Brown McCaw(Chimborazo) and more recent Walter Drew McCaw(WW I in >> France--Army sort of Surgeon General). >> Looking forward to hearing from you >> Douglas Burnett >> Satellite Beach >> FL >> >> On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 12:26 PM, Edward Ragan <[log in to unmask] >> >wrote: >> >> * >>> Dear Douglas, >>> >>> At first I did not pay much attention to your request, though as the >>> various >>> responses came in, I began to think more about the evolution of >>> "citizenship" from the Revolution into the 1790s. Also, your McCaws have >>> a >>> Richmond connection, and I work in Richmond history, so I became >>> intrigued >>> with just how Richmonders might have treated Loyalists during and after >>> the >>> Revolution. >>> >>> Obviously, before the Revolution, native-born Virginians were subjects of >>> the British crown. The notion of citizenship, with its rights and >>> obligations, emerged during the Enlightenment and changed considerably >>> from >>> the 1770s to the 1790s. In Virginia, the first definition of citizenship >>> came in May 1779, "An act declaring who shall be deemed citizens of this >>> commonwealth." For this see Hening's, "Statutes of Virginia," 10:129-30 < >>> http://vagenweb.org/hening/vol10-06.htm#page_129>, which describes >>> citizens >>> as those white people who were born in Virginia or had lived there for >>> two >>> years before passage of this law. Those living in Virginia for less than >>> two >>> years could become naturalized citizens with a simple oath in county >>> court. >>> Likewise, it was just as simple to renounce one's citizenship (presumably >>> with no hard feelings ;-). This same session of the General Assembly also >>> passed "An act concerning escheats and forfeitures from British >>> subjects." >>> For >>> this see Hening's, "Statutes of Virginia," 10:66-71 < >>> http://vagenweb.org/hening/vol10-03.htm>. This act says that anyone who >>> left >>> Virginia was not a citizen but instead remained a British subject (pp. >>> 70-71). This act was based on the October 1776 "Act declaring what shall >>> be >>> treason." (Hening's, "Statutes of Virginia," 9:168 < >>> http://vagenweb.org/hening/vol09-08.htm#page_168>). >>> >>> Now, your situation is complicated because the above citizenship >>> legislation >>> granted childrens' citizenship through the father and only secondarily >>> through the mother if the father was deceased. The fact that he was a >>> traitor may not have helped their case. That the mother was born in >>> Virginia >>> and married to a Loyalist may have mitigated her treason (since legally >>> she >>> was his dependent). All of Virginia's efforts may have been superseded by >>> the federal Congress, which passed the Naturalization Act of 1790, >>> requiring >>> a two-year residence before citizenship could be conferred. See < >>> http://tinyurl.com/ygyplsm>. >>> * >>> * >>> * >>> None of this gives you a simple answer, but this is a good document trail >>> that may help you answer your question. The trick would be to track down >>> any >>> property to discover its disposition during or after the Revolution. The >>> 1779 "Act concerning escheats and forfeitures from British subjects" >>> instructed county tax commissioners to confiscate and sell Loyalist >>> property >>> (within certain parameters). Again, a caveat, "the estates real and >>> personal >>> of such British subjects who have wives, widows, or children, residing >>> within this state, shall be appropriated as follows: Such estates . . . >>> where a wife and child, or child and no wife, the whole of the estate >>> belonging to such British subject shall be without the perview of this >>> act, >>> " (p. 71). And this clause may not be relevant for your case, since the >>> widow and children did not reside in Virginia at the time. >>> >>> Did they maintain contact with family in Virginia? >>> >>> Good luck with your research, >>> Ed >>> >>> ================ >>> * Edward DuBois Ragan >>> Staff Historian >>> Valentine Richmond History Center >>> 1015 East Clay Street >>> Richmond, Virginia 23219-1527 >>> 804.649.0711 ext. 344 >>> 804.643.3510 fax >>> 804.787.0144 cell >>> [log in to unmask] >>> www.richmondhistorycenter.com* >>> >>> * >>> * >>> >>> From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history >>>>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of James Burnett >>>>> Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2009 4:39 PM >>>>> To: [log in to unmask] >>>>> Subject: [VA-HIST] Loyalty Oath >>>>> >>>>> Good Evening All >>>>> I have a question wrt passports/immigration. I have a Virginia born >>>>> ancestor who married a British born Doctor in Va prior to 1775. When >>>>> >>>> the >>> >>>> Revolution began the Dr was a Loyalist and he, his wife, son, and >>>>> >>>> daughter >>>> >>>>> returned to England. The Dr then returned to New York in a British >>>>> >>>> uniform >>>> >>>>> and died there. Subsequent to the war his wife, daughter and son, after >>>>> >>>> he >>>> >>>>> graduated from Edinburgh Medical School returned to Va in 1792. On >>>>> >>>> their >>> >>>> return would they have been treated as immigrants even though all were >>>>> >>>> born >>>> >>>>> in Va? Would they have had to take an oath of loyalty? >>>>> Just to put a name on this law they were the McCaws and there were 5 >>>>> generations of physicians in the Richmond Va area from this line. >>>>> Thanks in advance >>>>> Douglas Burnett >>>>> Satellite Beach >>>>> FL >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> ______________________________________ >>> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions >>> at >>> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >>> >>> >> ______________________________________ >> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions >> at >> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >> > > Alyson L. Taylor-White > 804-920-2783 > > > ______________________________________ > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at > http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html